So you want to be a professional photographer, here is how

Professional Photographer – Do you have what it takes to become a professional photographer?

Buy a nice camera. Take some nice photos. Hey, this is fun! Maybe I should quit my job and become a professional photographer!

Not so fast. Consider that any “fantasy job” is a dream for hundreds of thousands of other people just like you. Running a bed and breakfast, owning a restaurant, taking photos for a living — these are all high on the fantasy list of many people but the reality is to be successful in any of these ventures is risky, involves and lot of hard work. These jobs require relentless drive to stand out from the pack, be the top of your game and compete with lots of local competition.

You need to access your local market of potential clients and get an idea of the local competition. Are there good photographers in the area? Are they cheap? Many do this as a hobby and undercut those trying to earn a decent wage for their work. If your local market is flooded with cheap photographers, it will be difficult for you to compete.